“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Tell the Israelites to go forward. But you lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground”.
Exodus 14: 15-16, NRSV
Hard to imagine, isn’t it? It was a pivotal point in the history of the Hebrew people. From that day forward, future generations would reflect on that radical Red Sea moment and remember how they overcame an ocean of insurmountable odds; They’d recall how God made a way where there was no way when the improbable bowed its head to the possible and the feet of faith dared step into a space no human foot had trod before. Life, as a result, would never look the same…
…And you know what? All of it happened—and I mean all of it happened—because God honored the faith of one ordinary figure who was bold enough to lift what was in his hands, stretch it out and believe that God could do what he otherwise could not do alone. The rest is history: Moses’s staff made a mark in the wet shoreline, creating a ripple and that ripple gave way to a tidal wave of transformation. Again, it’s hard to imagine, isn’t it? It all seems so fanciful, so other-worldly, so unconventional…so atypical. But dig out your Bible, unstick the pages of scripture and it’ll soon become obvious that the atypical is typical in the great story of God. God always seems to choose the most common to conduct the undeniably uncommon:
David was a runt shepherd. All he had was five rocks and a rag, but look at what happened when his trust in God emboldened him enough to stretch out his hand in the midst of oppression. All young Jeremiah had was a voice, but look at what happened when his faith in God gave him the fortitude to clear his throat and speak. All one innkeeper had was an outdoor stall. All one boy possessed was five loaves and two fish. All one woman had was an alabaster jar of ointment. All one widow had was one mite; yet when she stretched out her hand in worship, the Lord took notice. Among all the others pouring coins in coffers to earn the applause of other people, she earned the applause of heaven.
To think about it, most of the aforementioned names remain unnamed and yet all of them are remembered—not necessarily because they gave all they had. Rather, what they gave was an expression that God had all of them…and that’s all God wants. It’s all God’s ever wanted. Indeed, it seems common that God so uncommonly makes a way as we’re willing to lift what’s in our hands, stretch it out and boldly believe God can do what we otherwise could not do alone.
The splitting of a sea started with a simple stick. Who knows what we might set in motion for a present and future generation of faith when we entrust what’s in our hands to God. Hard to imagine, isn’t it? Not really. It’s always been that way. As part of the long legacy of those forerunners of the faith who moved mountains with simple sacrifices, I challenge us to be so bold.
Your Treasurer and Finance Team has been diligent in approving an operating budget of $341,723 (less than 1% increase from last year) and requests that you be prayerful about how we will be faithful in positioning ourselves not just to sustain programs, but to expand God’s kingdom in the Ohio Valley and beyond. On February 7th, during our 9:45 worship, we will present the enclosed commitment cards for the continuing work of Christ in us and through us. As you’ve already learned, we’re stewards who are a part of redemption’s story when we stretch in trust and obedience. Let’s be found faithful.
We are in the process of unrolling a digital, in-house giving platform on our church website and we will also construct confidential, electronic commitment cards for those who desire to contribute that way. Simply visit christwheeling.org for easily accessible giving options. If an online format isn’t suitable, you can certainly mail your card or return it in-person to the church office. Please send it to the attention of Belinda Austen, our Financial Secretary. Again, I give thanks for your faithfulness to Christ with all the people of Christ UMC, looking with great anticipation as we lift up our hands, stretch out our gifts, and move forward into new dimensions of discipleship that transform the world.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Jacob D. Steele